By Isaac Atunlute
Each day, many people risk their health every day just to avoid unclean bathroom facilities. At workplaces, schools, or social gatherings, individuals often withhold their urine for hours to avoid using dirty restrooms, dealing with long queues, or facing a lack of privacy, often without realising the hidden risks involved.
What Is Urinary Retention
Urinary retention, or the failure to empty the bladder, is a potentially serious condition. A temporary delay will probably do no harm, but prolonged and repeated retention will stretch the bladder, damage the kidneys, and even form urinary tract infections (UTIs).
Health Risks
We’ll explore the health dangers of retaining urine, the psychological and environmental circumstances behind the habit, and what we can do to ease the dangers, most significantly, in our current sanitation-deficient universe, addressing the culturally driven avoidance of public restrooms, which can lead to preventable health issues.
Many Nigerians, particularly women, suffer from urinary tract infections, bladder pain, and even kidney damage due to the habit of holding urine for extended periods. This issue is common among those who spend long hours in traffic, work in environments without accessible restrooms, or are in public spaces where facilities are unsanitary.
The bladder has its limits, and consistent neglect of the urge to urinate can lead to serious health complications, including chronic infections and long-term damage to the urinary system.
Beyond UTIs, urinary retention causes bladder stretching, detrusor weakness, and long-term conditions requiring catheter insertion. In men aged above 50, the condition is complicated by BPH.
Young people are now impacted, however, not by internal health complications but by social and environmental neglect of appropriate sanitation facilities.
A 2022 UNICEF Nigeria report discovered more than 48 million Nigerians have no access to sanitary and clean toilets.
In urban areas, access is not the problem; maintenance is. Dirty, poorly ventilated toilets are bacterial breeding grounds and dissuade people from using them.
Key Solutions
The remedy to this growing public health concern lies in a combination of individual habits and systemic change. Experts recommend three key actions: improved public sanitation, regular maintenance of restroom facilities, and widespread public information campaigns.
Many people mistakenly believe that holding in urine is a sign of discipline, but it can, in fact, be harmful to health.
Supportive measures like providing wipes for portable toilets, ensuring access to hand sanitisers, and encouraging institutions to invest in clean, gender-friendly restrooms all contribute to a healthier environment.
On a personal level, it’s important not to delay urination for more than 3–4 hours when possible. Drinking enough water is also essential; cutting back on fluids to avoid using the bathroom can actually cause more harm than good.
Final takeaway
Ultimately, health begins with habits. Normalising good bathroom practices, demanding clean and accessible facilities, and breaking the stigma around natural bodily functions are all crucial steps toward a healthier society. When nature calls, the best response is to listen in order not to jeopardise our health.
Many people risk their health by avoiding unsanitary public restrooms, leading to urinary retention—a condition where the bladder is not emptied properly. Holding urine for prolonged periods can cause bladder stretching, kidney damage, urinary tract infections (UTIs), and other complications, particularly affecting individuals in environments lacking proper restroom access or maintenance.
A 2022 UNICEF Nigeria report highlighted that over 48 million Nigerians lack access to clean toilets, compounded by poorly maintained restrooms, which deter usage due to hygiene concerns. This avoidance behavior is driven by psychological and environmental factors, exacerbating the problem, especially among women and those spending long hours in traffic or inadequate facilities.
Addressing this public health issue requires a combination of personal habits and systemic changes. Recommended solutions include improving public sanitation, maintaining restrooms regularly, and conducting public information campaigns. On a personal level, responding timely to the urge to urinate and maintaining adequate hydration are essential practices.
Ultimately, fostering better bathroom habits and advocating for clean, accessible sanitation facilities are critical to promoting overall health. Listening to our body's needs ensures we do not compromise our well-being due to preventable conditions associated with urinary retention.
